Internal-combustion engine



Dec. 8, 1925. 1.564.906

E. soKAL INTERNAL c'omaus'rro'u ENGINE I Fi1e 1 i Oct; 13. 1920 BY Aha/ MW T/OM ATTORNEY Patented D s" 1925. v,

; UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

Y EDWARD SOKAL, or NEW Yoax, N. Ynassre non 1 0 AMERICAN KATALI'IE consona- 'I'ION.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed October 13, 1920. 'serial No. 416,736.

To all whom, it may concern: Be it known that I, EDWARD 'SOKAL, a citizen of the United States, residing at '.-;New York, in the county of New York and 5 State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Internal- Combustion Engines, of which the followin is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to internal com-- bustion engines.

It is an object of the invention to provide sim 1e and efficient means for improving the com ustion of fuel mixtures-in engines of the character mentioned. I

It is a further object to provide improved means capable of wide application and in the operation of internal combustion engines may be secured. Broadly speaking, internal combustion engines are of the constant volume and constant pressure types. In the former it is usual to operate on a cycle wherein a combustible mixture of air and gas, or volatilized fuel, is compressed to a de nite volume and ignited :to increase sharply the pressure utilized oxrthe succeeding expansion or power stroke. Engines of this character are, for example,

standard practice inthe automotive industry,

and the operation thereof and, certain of the more general objections thereto are popularly known. For example, difficulties increasingly burdensome are encountered by reason of the deteriorating quality and in creasing cost of the gasoline used for car- 'iburetting to the combustible mixture. Attendant objections, such as incomplete combustion with carbon deposition, and its re- I sultant il1s, are familiar and have heretofore received widely diversified and special attention.

able on the succeeding power stroke. En

gines of this character commonly employ the lower grade fuels-and a matter of conwherewith notable and manifold advantages i tion; and

gine showing a modified embodiment of combustion chamber as shownat 11; In

Engines of the constant pressure type, for

*troversial;

siderable economy is thus efl'ected as well as increased thermal efficiencies by reason of the higher compressions thus permitted.- The accompanying disadvantages, however, (increased weight required in the engine structure, difiiculty in starting, and. limited flexibility, among others) have heretofore restricted. the field of useful application of these engines. I

The present invention, generically considered, is capable of embodiment in both types of engmes above mentioned as well as 1n others, and is designed to contribute commonadvantages thereto as well as to tend to overcome the disadvantages peculiar to each form.

. For a more complete understanding of the nature and advantages'of this invention reference should'be had to the following .detailed description, which, describes the best illustrative embodiments of this invention at present known to me, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in'which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an internal combustion engine, art being broken away whlchis constructed to embody this inven-.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of a cylinder of an internal combustion enthis invention.

h Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1,- 10 denotes a two cylinder internal combustion engine, having a' Y the chamber 11 therereci rocat'es a piston 12, ignition being eii'ecteti in the combus tion chamber inthe usual manner by a spark from the spark plug shown at 13.

In carrying the present invention into I effect, there is disposed in the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine an agent which provides a permanently exposed surface functioning to facilitate and improve but not to institute the combustion of the carburetted' air or other fuel mixture within the combustion chamber. This agent .by its presence appears to act as an effective accelerant for accelerating combustion although'not producing it, and may be -regarded as a species of catalyzer.

The theory of catalysis 1s somewhat con- In some books it is stated that catalysis is a henomenon in which a substance alters t e velocity of a chemical ref to the cy action without undergoing itself any permanent change. This would be analogous in a way, to the fact for instance, that a good electrical conductor can hasten the liow of electricity from one point to another wlthout undergoing itself any permanent change. The above is the most generally accepted definition and usually it refers, as it does in our'case, to a substance which accelerates the speed of the chemical reaction while 1t might also apply to a substance which would retard the speed of the chemical reaction, which substances are then called negative catalyzer.

By another definition, which is less frequent and authorative, catalysis is a phenomenon by which a substance may not only influence but actually start a chemical reaction which would otherwise not take place, and in which the catalyzer may be deemed to undergo some change, since it does not act merely by being present.

Theoretically the difference between these definitions is quite important, but in the present state of the science sufiicient data .is not at hand definitely to decide the question. This is part due to the difiiculty in observing excee ingly small quantities of the catalyst which may enter into the reaction. In the technical application of the definitions however, distinctions between starting a reaction and accelerating a reaction resolves itself into a consideration of practical accomplishments, and from this standpoin't may not only justify but require specific names for separate efiects.

In order, therefore, to distinguish the agent here employed as a catalyzer from those which by their mere presence are designed to produce chemical action, the catalyzer of this invention is styled a catalyzer which is effectively accelerant, which term is intended to' signify only such material or compound as advantageously affects the combustion of'the fuel mixture when ignition is accomplished by an independent 'means', and does not itself undergo any permanent change.

In Fig. 1 the presence of the catalyzing agent is shown by the heavy line at 14, which indicates a coating or exposed surface of the agent on the upper'wall of the combustion chamber 11! I The disposition of the catalyz'er in the combustion chamber is susceptible of being accomplished in a variety of ways. Its relative location within the chamber may also be chosen as desired. For example the catal zer may be applied either directly to the cy inder wall as shown at 14 in Fig. 1, or to the surface of a support as shown at 15 in Fi 2. The support may be secured inder wall, or to the cylinder head in proximit to the ordinary igniting device, or spark p ug, such as is shown at 13' in Fig. 2. In certain instances its operative exposure to the fuel mixture may be governed when desired. In research and test with respect to my invention, I have up to the present time found it preferable to employ a metallic oxide which is refractory and substantially infusible at the temperatures of combustion as the catalyzing agent and it is desirable to utilize for the purpose a metallic oxide which, by reason of its manufacturing economy, its refractory character and its resistance to so-called poisoning, best fulfills the requirements of cheapness, reliability and permanence. One material which I have found to combine eiiiciently the qualities referred to, among others, is aluminum oxide (A1 0 and the manner of carrying out the invention with this material will now be described:

Aluminum sul hate Al (S() or aluminum nitrate Al(NO v may be combined with a base as powdered clay shale, in proportions varying within limits on either side from 50% of each, and the whole rendered plastic with water to form a paste. This material may then be spread on a screen or or binder and subjected to heat, as by gradual baking to 900 degrees centi ade, for reducing the aluminum to the oxi e (A1 0 which is the active agentand for consolidating the mass and rendering it cohesive. After baking, the catalyzer secured in the combustion chamber may be scraped to present a clean surface.

Cerium oxide (CeO is in certain 'reyzing agent. The 1present cost of this materlal is considerably- 1 ox de,'but on the .165

spects an equivalent catal igher than the aluminum other hand it is perhaps chemically more resistent to deterioration or poisoning underthe influence of the high temperatures and pressures of the combustible and burned gases encountered in gas engine operation. With this material also the production may be as above set forth, starting from the.

nitrate and mixinert base With cerium sulphate or cerium ing with a refractory and final reduction to the cerium oxide (C'eO The oxides above described, whether used separately or in mixtures yield catalytic agents which are efiectively accelerant in accordance with this invention and substantially do not enter into the combustion reaction. Such an agent is well adapted to be permanently exposed within the combustion chamber, as it is solid, refractory and has a relatively high coeficient of radiation.

In operation the catalyzer, by reason of an action not yet thoroughly understood or other holding element uniformly explained, influences the combustion of the fuel mixture when ignited. It is to be noted that the common electrical, or other, i and that t glnition of the charge is retained e catalyzer consequently exerts lac gmes, my improved engines will deliver equal power with less fuel consumption; in other words, leaner mixtures may be employed with increased net efliciency. ,I'have found, for example, that it is possible to employ a mixture so lean in the fuel content as to be otherwise incapable of efficient combustion. A further refinement of internal combustion engines is therefore rendered possible, wherein the compression ratio may be increased and higher thermal efiiciencies thereby secured.

Not only is the combustion of the ignited charge facilitated but the time of combustion, that is the interval between the igni tion and maximum pressure, is decreased very materially, and furthermore, the completeness of the combustion is enhanced to a degree where, in practice, I have found a complete elimination of free carbon from the burned gases so that after a prolonged interval of operation an examination of-the combustion chamber has shown no trace of carbon deposition.

A further advantage resulting from the use of a coating of catalyzer, disposed in accordance with this invention, is the cooling efiect which follows. This catalyzer operates to prevent the walls of the combustion chamber fromabsorbing' as much heat as when not used, engines embodying this invention having operated noticeably longer in a cooler condition than formerly.

As a consequence the consuin tion of lubrieating 'oil by engines embodying this invention is also very much less than would have been the case if the invention had not bee employed.

Among the more readily understood ,advantages of the invention may be mentioned the attainment of easier starting. quicker acceleration, fuel. economy, the use of less volatile fuels, greater flexibility of the engine in operation, the-elimination of carbon deposit, the prevention of pre-ignition and. knocking, and increased thermal efiiciency, the tendency to prevent knocking in such cases results from the improved completion of combustion.

It will be understood also that the embodiment of the invention in engines of the constant pressure type permits the employment of lower compressionratios and consequently lessened engine weights, starting is rendered easier, and the range of flexibility increased; the use of engines of the Diesel or semi-Diesel type consequently becomes permissible in: an increasing field of application and in smaller horsepower units.

From' the foregoing descri tion of the invention and the reference iiot intended to be complete) to certain of the objections encountered withpresent day internal combustion motors, and certain of the advantages and capabilities for improvement in the design and operation thereof gained or rendered possible by the present invention, the far reaching scope of the present invention will become apparent. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to be generic as well as specific 'and that the invention is capable of a li tion and eflicient utilization through a wide range of embodiments without sacrifice of the major advantages.

Having described by invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows: 1. In an internal combustion engine, in combination, a combustion chamber for the fuel charge including means to ignite the I charge, and an accelerating catal zer functionally independent of said igniting means fixedly disposed in said combustion chamber to promote the combustion of the otherwise ignited charge.

2. In an internal combustion engine, in

combination, a combustion chamber for a compressed fuel charge, means to ignite the mixture locally atan instant predetermined but variable with respect to the degree of compression of the charge, and a solid effectively accelerant catalyzer located within said combustion chamber to promote the combustion of the otherwise ignited charge.

3. In an internal combustion engine, in

combination, a chamber for a compressed fuel charge, timed sparking means to ignite the charge, and a catalyzing agent permanently dlsposed in the combustion chamber and of a character to accelerate and promote the combustion of the charge but incapable of effecting ignition thereof during normal designed operation of the engine.

4. In an internal combustion engine, in combination, a combustion cylinder having intake and exhaust valves, electrical ignition means to locally fire the fuel charge, and a substance secured within said cylinder and exposed to the'charge and of a character to accelerate the combustion thereof without undergoing permanent substantial change itself.

5. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination with a combustion chamber for the fuel charge having means to abruptly effect ignition of the charge, of an effectively accelerant catalyzing agent fixedly disposed interiorly of said chamber and comprising a refractory metaloxide permanentcombustion in an internal combustion engine y exposed to the charge. Y which comprises accelerating and rendering 6. A method of effecting andimproving .more complete the combustive reaction after combustion in internal combustion engines ignition'has. been initiated by functionally 15 -li which comprises permanently exposing independent means, said acceleration being within the combustion chamber an agent accomplished by permanently exposing to which is effectively accelerant in its action the fuel mixture in the combustion chamber luring combustion butis incapable of inia solid, refractory, accelerant catalyzer hav-- 1 tiating combustion, and independently 'iniing ahigh coeflicient of radiation. i 20.

10 tiating combustion, at the desired instant. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

7. The step in the method of effecting EDWARD SQKAL, 

